10 things that make me happy

1. The color yellow

-Sunshine, lemonade, daisies...many of my favorite things are yellow. This color never fails to put me in a happier mood.

2. Babies

-My friends can attest to the fact that I am baby-hungry. So baby-hungry in fact, that thoughts of kidnapping getting married and having my own bundle-of-joy, occur after seeing cute babies. True story.

                                                                    Source: hongkiat.com via Ashley on Pinterest

3. Chocolate

-Need I say more? Didn't think so.

4. Baking

-There is nothing like baking something delicious, even if your pale, flour-streaked face afterwards, reminds you of Edward Cullen.

                                                                            Source: google.com via Mindy on Pinterest

Blue-steel face included.

5. A break from school

-Can I get an AMEN?! But seriously, this semester has been rough! Here's hoping that I dominate this next one. fingers crossed....toes too.

6. Being home and having a momma to take care of me

-This twenty-going-on-twenty-one-years-young girl will always feel like a little girl upon arrival at home. There is something about a long absence that makes one's mother want to spoil them....not that I'm complaining :)

7. My DSLR camera (nickname pending)

-I have so much to learn, but I am already having tons of fun experimenting with this little wonder. Modern technology is amazing folks!

8. Painted fingernails and toesies

-Red, plum, blue...you name it! Painted nails instantly make me feel prettier and more polished (no pun intended). 

                                                                           Source: weheartit.com via Meagan on Pinterest

9. Soft leggings

-I have been living in them for the past two weeks and they are amazinggggg! I can now see why people wear them as pants...but let me reiterate...LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS! 

                                                                        Source: google.com via Adrienne on Pinterest

Major fashion no-no peeps.

10. Rainy days

-Now, you may be scratching your head thinking,"umm didn't you just say you love yellow because of sunshine?" and while you are correct...I LOVE rainy days! I feel that I would love living in Washington..the cozy atmosphere just seems like it would scream romance...and romance is my most favorite thing in the world!

Quote of the Day:

We make our own happiness.....so, what is on your happy list?

Recently.....

I've seen this on a few blogs and it looked fun!

Obsessing over: Boots...boots...BOOTS! Hot apple cider, photography, and snow (where the heck is it?!).

                                                                                Source: google.com via Colleen on Pinterest

Working on: Finalizing my class schedule, finding a job, getting fit, and being more Christlike.

Thinking about: Service, money (a lack thereof), fresh starts, boys, and dreams. 

Anticipating: New crushes, snow..I know, I know.. I alreadyyy mentioned it, but I really want some!, and a fun year!

                                                                      Source: charmingdecor.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

Listening to/watching: Julie & Julia It is on t.v. and I have never seen it before.

Note to self: Do not watch anything involving cooking when you are starving!

2nd note to self: Marry a man like Julie's husband Eric. He is so cute, sweet, and obnoxiously funny.

Drinking: Eggnog :)

Wishing for: Financial security, my mom to know how much I love and appreciate her, to help others more, to balance everything and basically become Super Woman.....it could happen folks..you never know.

What does your life look like recently?

Quote of the Day:

A New Year

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

I sure did :)

I love this time of year because of the feelings it brings.

Everyone tries a little harder, to be a little kinder.

Our focus turns even more so to the Savior.

As I reflected this year about his birth, I was filled with such intense gratitude.

I will be forever grateful for the birth of that precious baby and for his life and love.

I am so excited for the New Year.

It is a time of new beginnings; a time for reinventing.

I have many new goals for the year, and one of those goals includes getting back to blogging!

I love to blog.

I love typing my feelings out.

I love putting my memories down to be looked at later.

I love sharing my ideas with you guys and hearing yours in return.

But lately, I have let the hustle and bustle of my life take over!

I have discovered that I need to learn how to balance my priorities.

I want to make time for The Lord, school, friends, and myself.

I truly believe that we are happier when we have a purpose.

We are happier when we feel that everything that is important to us, is getting enough of our attention.

I want to give the best part of myself to everyone I care about, not just little fragments.

This New Year, I vow to discover how to be the best possible ME, that I can be :)

Quote of the Day:

What are some of your goals for the New Year?

P.S. My parents surprised me with my first DSLR! I am so excited to start learning more about Photography. I am also excited to document my progress on this blog....and to look back and see how my skills have improved (hopefully!)


Wish me luck :)

Why hello there!

You guys can go ahead and say it. 

I have been the world's worst blogger lately.

It's ok. I know it....and I am so sorry!

My life has been hectic....but really good.

I have been busy with school and busy making great friends.

I have lots of fun stories to tell you....but for now, I want to talk about something that I've been thinking about a lot recently. 

You guys already know that I like to write letters to myself. This way, I can look back on where I was at certain times and how I have changed. I find them therapeutic and cool to look back on. So you should not be surprised at all that I have written yet another one :)

Dear Ashley the dreamer,

Lately, you have been feeling a little anxious. You have been crushing on different boys...and things seem to be going great....until suddenly, the progress stops. After this happens, you are confused. You do not understand what happened to derail the whole thing. You spend the next couple of weeks being happy on the outside....but miserable on the inside. But you know what Ash? Life is amazing.

Words cannot even begin to express all of the awesome things that are happening in your life right now. You have the most amazing friends a girl could dream of, a heart that loves others and desperately wants to make a difference in this world, an able body, a personality that is quick to laugh, and a Heavenly Father that knows you better than anyone will ever know you.

You probably don't want to hear this...in fact I know you don't, but maybe you are not supposed to be focusing on dating right now. 

Maybe you are supposed to be focusing on ways to be a better friend, daughter, disciple of Christ, and just a better person.

You can't force something to happen just because you want it to.

It is great to be determined and go after what you want, but it is equally important to realize where your priorities need to be.

Sometimes you just need to accept that something ended, and move on!

Before you get scared that you have lost your hopelessy romantic notions, do not worry!

You are still more than open to some tall, dark, and handsome stranger sweeping you off your feet, but you are just happy to also have both feet firmly planted on the ground right now.

Rediscover who you are and what your dreams are. There will be plenty of time for a white-picket-fence, cute kiddos, and the whole shebang...but there will not always be time to be selfish.

Dirty word huh?

I guess I just mean that it is okay to make your dreams come true. It is okay to think about what you want once in a while instead of what everyone else demands from you.

 Once you get married, you will not be able to be selfish if you want a happy marriage. The time for being selfless will come and that will be great too!

I guess what I am saying is that you need to take a deep breath....and just be happy!

Good things are coming...but good things are happening right. now. I don't want you to waste the time you have right now wishing for something better. Keep dreaming of Prince Charming. He's there, but you still have soooo much more to learn first!

Love,

Ashley the Realist

Quote of the Day:

"There are dreamers and there are realists in this world, you think the dreamers would find the dreamers and the realists would find the realists, but more often than not the opposite is true. See the dreamers need the realists to keep the dreamers from soaring too close to the sun. And the realists? Well without the dreamers, they might not ever get off the ground".

Why yes, I did just quote Modern Family :)

No more chasing for me!

What's new in your lives?