Mawage ...

...is what beings us togever today.

June third my brother-in-law Stephen is getting married.

Isn't Kim gorgeous!!

Anyways my kids are in the wedding. So I spent my afternoon yesterday making my girls tu-tus.

Ignore my mess :)

I just need to find them some little sandals and shirts that go with them now. And get Abbi some leggings.

I find it hard to believe there is only 3 years between Elizabeth and Abigail. Abbi is so little and Lizzy is so big. What am I going to do when Abbi is so grown up? And can you believe Lizzy turns 5 in a month?!?!?

In other news. Lizzy remembered that she is NOT allowed to cut her own hair. However apparently I didn't make that umbrella of "no hair cutting" big enough. So she cut Abigails. Awesome. I am hoping no one will notice.

Need warmth

Trevor turned off the heat, it is that time of year.  However I am freezing, and dreaming of beaches.

Last November, right before our 6th anniversary ( I was counting the trip as a 5 year celebration), we went on a cruise, just the two of us.  First alone vacation ever. 

We went to the Western Caribbean

 We flew into Tampa the night before, went and got dinner and saw a movie.  The airport shuttle guy was ridiculous.  I have never heard someone so chatty before in my life.  And I worked at a hotel.  And met a lot of chatty people.  We stayed at the Hampton Inn Rocky Point.  They drove us to and from the airport, to and from the port, to and from the mall and dinner.  They were great. 

Here we were waiting in the mega long lines to get on the boat.

The were well organized and moved fast but man oh man they put a lot of people on that boat. 

This was in the port at Tampa waiting for the boat to leave. 

Our first stop was the Cayman islands.  We never booked any excursions from the boat because you can save so much money just doing it on your own once you get there.  There are always tons of people there and they know exactly where you are looking to go.  Of course I watch to many dateline things and panic about talking to strangers, so I was always nervous. 

We signed up with a bunch of old people to go to Stingray City.

It was a little sketch.  They pile you into vans and then drive you to a boat.  Then you get on the boat and drive for 45 minutes into the middle of the ocean (ahhhh they are going to kidnap us and throw us into the ocean).  The old people were hammered. 

Then you get there and it is this massive sandbar in the middle of the wide open ocean where the locals have fed the sting rays so much that they just hang out there. 

Those dark spots, stingrays.  Here jump in.  They are nice.  just don't let them give you a whole body hickey. 

So we did.  They freaked me out.  But Trevor was feeding them and holding them and snorkeling with them.  I stood there and just tried to not let them eat me. 

The water was amazing.  Warm.  Glorious.  I am going back.  ... one day.

Then our boat took us out to a reef to snorkel and swim.  Trevor found fish and eels.  They dove for 
Conch shells and let everyone eat the raw Conch.  Hah I totally didn't but everyone else did.  The also found a starfish.

We had our driver drop us at the edge of the road and caught the local "bus" (guy in van with a blue license plate = bus?) and went out to Hell.  I mailed some post cards.  I thought it was cool.

This would be Hell.

Our Next stop was Mahogany Bay Roatan. B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L

I think it was the prettiest place I have ever seen.  White beach.  Turquoise water.

We hung out on the beach and went swimming for a bit. Then went exploring.  You head out to the taxi place. And they were SO EXPENSIVE.

 So we followed some locals carrying a massive TV over a hill.  We figured they weren't going to walk to far with that thing.  Sure enough on the other side of the hill there were a couple of security guards keeping back a good 20 cheap taxi drivers.  They are trying to control the tourist area so that you aren't over whelmed by 1000000 people.  So we caught a cheap taxi (me once again fearing we are getting kidnapped)  We really didn't find any good deals. But they had these amazing carvings. 

 We had shopped around in the tourist area first so we knew we could get a better deal there (surprisingly).  So we bought a few things back there.  We had to barter with this little girl for a jewelry box she was awesome.  She was a tough nut.  But we took her deal. 



Our next stop was at Belize.  I was hoping to do some swimming and shopping. 

They had a tourist area again and then you could leave it if you wanted to.  So we headed out on foot and bought some statuettes.  It was really dirty though, so we didn't swim.  sadness. 

Our last stop was in Mexico.  I really didn't know where we were.  I thought I did.  But I didn't.  It was beautiful.  We rented a scooter.  I felt like I was a part of the hot fuzz.  Our scooter broke down though. 

And no one would let us use their phone.  Thank Heaven for prayers.  We got going again. 

We went and saw some ruins...I don't know what ones.  They said Tulum, but I think it was fake Tulum.  We were on an island. 

Trevor told me that the trees were special and that they would echo if you knocked on them.  So I knocked on the tree.  I am so gullible. 

We found the most hilarious store.  The Pee Pee Station. 

There wasn't anywhere to swim there.  It was all rocks and docks.

We spent the rest of the day shopping.  I bought a beautiful pitcher and bowl.  The bowl got smashed by the airline. :( 

Our time on the boat we spent reading, sleeping, watching shows, hot tubing, mini golf and different presentations that they had.  and I ate Eggs Benedict every day except two (because I slept in to late).

It was wonderful.

Now i am going to go turn my heat on because I am SO COLD.

and watch Ryan Reynolds on Sesame Street with my kids. 

Ashley

Dear...

... Mosquitos,

Thank you for you idea that my children would make a great buffet. Trevor and I have thought about it and have decided that no, our children are not going to become your food storage. Maybe there is something extra yummy about them because of their red hair however we don't like the MASSIVE red welts that grow every time you bite them. Abigail looks like a one eyed dinosaur, Elizabeth looks like she has leprosy and Sam ... some how I think 5 bites in a row across his forehead is over kill. We will now never leave to play outside without a layer of deet across our skin. As well the bug zapper will be hung back up ASAP to deter further feeding frenzies.

Ashley


.. Walmart

Although I really don't care anymore all I have to say is "good luck":).

When my Dad and Trevor came in to talk about our last encounter. And then 4 days later, right before the long weekend, you leave a message that "you have taken care of it" with no further info or a contact number you annoyed my Dad. I think he will eat you for lunch now. Stupidheads. Say you are sorry, even my kids know that.

Ashley



... Standard General

Please come remove your stuff from my front yard. Although I really appreciate that you lowered the curb on my driveway all the rain has turned my alley into a bog. My kids really enjoy puddle jumping. I would like to leave my house dry as well without the mad dash x 3 to get everyone in.

Ashley



... Rain.

You couldn't wait for me to plant my garden could you. :(

Private

I am thinking of making my blog not private...

Is that weird?

We went private because Trevor was working in Ontario all the time and I didn't want the internet world to be able at access that information

But now it's not the same.  I don't know.  I might just leave it as is because of that whole children on the internet thing but is that really an issue. 

Opinions?

  We will see.

Obsessed

I am in love with these sandwiches.

We ate them last week and when we fed the missionaries. Sooooooo good.

killerclub

Yum yum I promise.

Adventures in slumberland.

Last night Trevor fell asleep around nine. I had watched glee and taken Jessie home. Then cleaned the kitchen and put the garbage out for the next morning. I was all ready for bed around 11:30 when I went and woke him up on the couch and told him to go get in bed.

He wandered back to our room. I had decided I wanted to read for awhile before I went to sleep. When he realized that I wasn't coming to bed he argued with me about staying up but fell asleep again.

I read for only 10 minutes. I went and crawled I to bed. I love my bed. I was dozing off when all of a sudden Trevor jumped awake with a deep gasping breath. And then was asleep again like nothing had happened

I settled back down and was just dozing off again when *GASP* he did it again. And agin 5 minutes later.

Weird

Then he sat straight up in bed and said

"Ashley we need to put the garbage out"
"no I already did it "

*1 minute later

"Do you want me to put it out?"
"No. I already did it" getting aggravated Bout how he keeps waking me up.

*1 minute later

"We are going to miss the garbage truck"
"Trevor I told you I did it. If you don't believe me go check"

*quiet*
5 minutes pass by. I am in the space between awake and dreaming. All of a sudden Trevor jumps out of bed and briskly walks across the room....right into the wall.

He cries out in pain and surprise and say "what am I doing?"

Me "I don't know... What ARE you doing?"

Turns out he doesn't even remember me waking him up to make him move, any of our conversations or getting out of bed.

Weirdo



On another note. Abbie hair can fit into braids. Hooray!!!!

The Walmart incident

Sams passport needed renewed last week. As a gift Walmart gives you a free 8x10 portrait for buying a passport photo from them.

So we went back this morning to get our picture taken. My kids were cute the pictures were great and the ladies in the portrait studio are awesome.

It takes a few minutes for them to load the pictures in the computer so I headed out into the store to get some groceries because we are feeding the missionaries tonight.

I found everything I needed and headed up to the till. The kiddies and I waited in line for 10 minutes and then got up to the belt. I was unloading my cart. Wrangling my kids. Abbi was crying because she wanted a treat. Then it happened.

I didn't quite have a good enough hold and misjudged how high I had to lift it from the cart and I dropped the pickles on the ground ("I'm not a part of this system". Hah has anyone seen that on YouTube?).

So there I was standing in a lake of glass and pickle juice "Ohhhh shoot". Yes I said shoot. The lady behind me says. "Oh don't worry about it this sort of thing happens all the time.". I heart her.

Now at a normal store you tell the check what happens they call for back up no problem cleaned up bing bang boom. This checker ignores me. When I bring it up again he passes me the biggest roll of crappy Walmart paper towels in the world. You know the basically thin cardboard ones that absorb nothing, and then ignores me some more. So I start cleaning. I load my kids in the cart and I crouch there In the class and clean. I clean up most of the lake, then help myself to a bag to throw the towels in. The lady behind me asks "didn't he call someone?" I said no and she got on his case to call for someone. So then he shuts down the till and blocks me in with my cart full of kids, conveyor belt of groceries and my feet covered in glass (it's summer flip flop weather, not a whole lot of foot protection there). And wait and wait and wait for the cleaning guy to come. Feeling more and more overwhelmed and embarrassed by the second.

Enter the cleaning guy. So he wanders over in his 55 year old Walmart glory. Imam just about to apologize when he leans over to the check and "whispers" ... " we should yell her the clean up will be and extra $100". YES I COULD HEAR YOU...moron. They then proceeded to joke about me and laugh at me. That's when I lost it. I started BAWLING.

And bawling. I told them I was leaving and drug my cart out of there. Little bits of glass biting my toes (not bad but irritating). I showed up in the portrait studio a complete mess. Told them I was going home, halfway across the parking lot I changed my mind and went back for my picture. I really did want it.

Then the checker guy came looking for me to make me pay for my groceries. I told him no and he went back into the store throwing his hands in the air.

I went a redid all my grocery shopping at Safeway. Which I like more than Walmart anyways. They were awesome like always. And it cost me less with my Safeway card and I got 50 airmiles and a 5 cents off a litre gas coupon.

Walmart sucks. Let's be honest. I will go back but not for awhile.

Well Hello 26!

It was my Happily Bappily Birthday yesterday.  It was awe-some.

I made birthday pie, yum yum.  And we had a BBQ at my parents house.

I got an awesome curling iron.
The "Mortal Instruments" book series.
        My favorite quote on the box
         " Dear Edward and Jacob: I adore you both But I'm spending the weekend with Jace. Sorry! Love, Stephanie"  -Stephanie Meyer, Author of Twilight

I got the Masterpiece Theater version of Jane Eyre.  Love 

a really really cut home made flower pot and arrangement.

And a longboard.  This one to be correct. 

I told you awesome. 

My gift to myself, I killed my facebook.  Driving. me. crazy. 
So now it is gone.  I feel liberated.  We will see how long it is gone for.

Times past.

Guess what.  I finally got the whole charge the battery and get the stupid pictures of my camera thing going.  Now I just need to get them off my phone. 

NYC

I went to NYC to visit Kambria last October.  It was a blast. Her roomates were so nice to let me stay with them.

Times Square my first night.  It was so cool (for little Canadian me where the malls close at 9)

We went shopping and for dinner at like 10.  I am such a nerd that I think that is cool. 

This is at the shake shack

 


On the Friday Kambria had to work.  So with some awesome directions and bus information I headed out on my own.  I went and did a temple session, then went home and changed, the headed out to the
MET.  I drooled over all of the Monet paintings.  Ever since that very first Humanities class he was my favorite.

We went across the Brooklyn Bridge to go get the BEST PIZZA EVER at Grimaldis

I thought it was cool to see mounted police on Kambrias street.  (such a nerd I know)

The whole time Kambria lived in NYC she wanted to go to a Hockey Game.  I was more than happy to go. 

I was so glad to have someone who knew the subway system.  My total lack of direction could have been a big problem. 

Another highlight was going for Peruvian food at Pio Pio.  It was so good.  And I am a picky eater.

We went for brunch a couple of times.  MMMMMMM brunch.  This was at Elmo.  I think it was my favorite. 

This was at isabellas

Bono was there having Brunch too. 

Anyways.  I am going to Utah next week for Kambrias wedding.  I am so excited.  and she is sooooo pretty. 

Maybe she will let me put and engagement picture up.  She has the prettiest engagements I have ever seen.  Hah maybe I will just send you to the Photographers blog. shannon elizabeth photography

Spring

I vote spring in.

can I get a Hallelujah 

The BBQ is going.  My house is spring cleaned.  It is time. 

We went to the zoo yesterday and had a blast. 

Hah I really don't have much to say.  I am starting to come out of my "winter do nothing, go nowhere hibernation though."  So that is always a good sign. 

I have so many things I am excited for.
~  I am excited for 2 weddings this summer ( Kambria and Steven).
~ Maybe a trip to Washington to visit Trevor's Aunt.
~ central alberta childrens festival
~ Drumheller
~ Canada Day and July 4th
~ Is it really sad that I am excited for Thanksgiving.  Hah I can wait though.
~ I want to go to the lake
~ camp
~ hike the  triple crown
~ each so much ice cream I will explode 
~ lazy warm nights on my swing reading
~ BBQ BBQ BBQ
~

~ ooo  I am looking for people who want to get Calaway Park passes.  I need more Adults to go with because I can't wrangle all of my kids at once.  I need someone to take my kids on rides, or sit with Abbi.