Don't Do it...

1. Don't Drink and Drive (or "Look drunk, and drive")






2. Don't think Just because you can't see the driving skills of your 2 year old cousin, that it makes them any better!





3. Don't make a face like this when your Aunt and her Camera are around!

Fun in the Gorgeous Sun!

Yes, for you readers outside of AZ, I said fun in the sun...and what I meant was A fantastic picnic at the park, in the beautiful Arizona sunshine and 78 degree weather, with family, great food, and did I mention PERFECT WEATHER???? We decided to take advantage of a great day and have a picnic with Amber (my sis) and her kids, Heather (my cousin)and her family, my parents, and my neighbor LaVonne and her grandson at our neighborhood park. The kids were great, ate well, and played together nicely. They didn't mind having their pictures taken (most of the time) and Jaxon even survived a 5 foot drop off the swing when Papa pushed him a little too vehemently. Amber and Heather (both pregnant) felt well and enjoyed the fresh air. It's moments like these you want to remember...yes, for posterities sake, but mostly for June, July and August when we curse all things "Arizona" and "Sun-related" Yup, Feb. March, and maybe April (if we're lucky) are why we LOVE AZ so darn much!










A Quick Thank You

I would be remiss if I didn't send a quick thank you to the following for the experience I had yesterday-
Thank you genetic predisposition
Thank you polycystic ovarian syndrome
Thank you pregnancy (Jaxon)
and finally
Thank you MALE baby (Jaxon) that I carried in by body

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to have to go through several painful treatments of lazer hair removal,Thank you!

Question and Answer period #2

Q: Ashley???? Why on earth did you do THAT to your hair?
A: Well, that last time I used my hot rollers my hair was about 12 inches longer, and had been chemically straightened. I had no idea my hair could be this BIG and CURLY without teasing and a can of hairspray!

Q: What are you going to do???
A: I have no idea!

Q: Will you please post a picture on the blog, this is too good not to document!
A: HECK NO! If you thought the hot rollers were bad, you aint seen nothin' yet!

no, seriously, this is horrendous!

Question and Answer period with Ashley

Q: How does a person find themselves wearing hot rollers at 1:40 in the afternoon?
A: My Straightening iron, and two curling irons all broke within the last week.

Q: How does someone break all of those things in one week?
A: Keep your stuff for a really long time because you are too cheap/poor to buy new ones, and eventually they will just kick the bucket all on their own.

Q:Can I too look that good in hot rollers?
A: Honestly, probably not. Sorry.

One good turn....

Today while shopping at Target (which Jaxon HATES) I bought him a bag of popcorn, because that will generally appease him for about 20 minutes. Jaxon cannot eat a whole bag, and I didn't want any, so I saw another young mother- (thats right! I still consider myself a "young Mother") with two young girls and offered her half the bag. You would have thought I offered to pay her a million dollars with how surprised she acted! Well, about 25 minutes later, the popcorn spell had worn off, and Jaxon was squacking loudly and yelling "HOME MOMMY! GO HOME!!" Well, I still needed to pick up a few things and who was in the isle but the "other young mom" She said, "You must have hit your 20 minute mark!" To which I said I had. She then reached into her purse and pulled out a funsize bag of M&M's and said, "Maybe these will help!" M&M's???? OF COURSE THEY HELP!!!! Anyway, the point is, I was really glad we gave her some popcorn, because I Got 10 more good minutes and we were out the door! Thank you young mother, wherever you are, thank you!

Terrible Dream Monday

Early this morning I had such a horrible nightmare, that AFTER I woke up and realized it wasn't even real, I started sobbing and couldn't stop! Dave woke up and consoled me, but it took me quite a while to calm down. I know it seems really silly, that I cried after I knew it wasn't real, but it was so sad! I dreamed that Dave told me he wanted a divorce. Then he told me all his reasons why, and all of them were the things that are my biggest insecurities. I don't think I've ever been so sad in my life. Dave asked me this morning what on earth had been the matter, and it sounded so ridiculous when I heard myself say it, but again he was so loving and reassuring. He's a really awesome husband...when I'm awake!

The Power of "I'm Sorry", and meaning it!

These past few weeks I have had the opportunity to say "I'm sorry" several times! And I have learned a great lesson. (excuse me for waxing philosophical and or sentimental.) It's just like with repentance, you have to really mean it, and not beat around the bush, to really feel peace. I don't mean to say I was so weighted down by sorrow for the things for which I needed to apologize. It's just, when you apologize to someone and you don't mean it, or you don't do it right, it makes you angry to be doing it at all, and then you can't have peace. There is real power in saying "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings" instead of, "Im sorry IF I hurt your feelings" or "I'm sorry that your feelings were hurt." I'm not trying to toot my own horn (If I were I wouldn't be admitting to having to say "I'm sorry" so many times) I'm saying that I notice that although sometimes an apology is hard to cough up, it really becomes so easy if you just do it right, and mean every word.

Another one...

I know this is another Jaxon post, and I try to somewhat keep these to a minimum, but yesterday I was following him around the backyard taking pictures for a photo class, and I got so many cuties. This kid is a ham/charmer through and through, but only on his terms. His smile melts the coldest heart...and here are some pictures to prove it! (oh yes, if you look closely you can see that the inside corners of both his front teeth are chipped, as well as the tip of his "fang" tooth (is that called an "eye tooth"?) and also one on the bottom. If this guy makes it to Kindergarten without a few broken bones and the loss of at least one tooth it will be a miracle. Anyone who has ever seen him knows he bends like Gumby, and loves to propel himself onto the ground!







This last one is not so much "melt your heart" as it is "scare the pants off you" but hey, moderation in all things, right???

Definition of a Bad mother...

A bad mother is one who lets her child do unsanitary/dangerous things, all in the name of getting a good/funny picture! (Nedra and Mom Rogers, this maybe too much for your weak stomachs...) (also a bad mother is one who doesn't feed her child anything but 5 ounces of milk and Choc. chip cookie in a several hour time span, but I think we've already covered that one in a previous blog...)

Jaxon dips a random pinecone (that he found on the ground) into the old rainwater that has accumulated in the ladder




Jaxon sucks the water off the pinecone because HEY-- Why Not???


Jaxon bypasses the prickly pinecone and slurps the water right out of the ladder, and he even enjoyed it and went back for seconds!




Do you think I will be punished in Heaven for letting these things happen?

Here goes....

Okay, I've done it. I made a photo blog. I know a lot of very talented photographers visit my blog once in a while, so just remember I'm just starting! It's a place to send people who are are interested in me taking some inexpensive family photos etc., without having to shuffle through all my postings! Most of the pictures posted there are ones I've already posted here, so it's nothing new so far.
The link is

everydaylovephotography.blogspot.com

So, that's that....breath...

You probably don't care...

But I find it fascinating! I won't be giving daily bodybugg updates, but for my first day using it, I thought I would expound on some of its cool features and what it tells me...Today I-
Consumed 1501 calories
Burned 2912 calories
Took 15,181 steps (WOO HOO!...5500 of those were during "step" class)
Took 63 steps between 4am and 5am on my trip to the restroom and to get a drink
Exceeded my recommended servings of Protein by 18 grams
Was 470mg short of recommended daily calcium intake...yikes!
Exceeded my fiber intake recommendation by double... Double yikes!
My diet consisted of 55% carbs, 22% protein, and 23% fat (Im supposed to be at 60/20/20)
And had a calorie deficit of 1411 calories!
Amazing right?

Things I never thought I'd say...

"No Jaxon, we don't put our yogurt bowl on our head, even if we think we are done!"


I'm SO BUGGED!!!


Body Bugged that is! I finally got my hearts desire (maybe I wouldn't go quite that far, but I DO LOVE LOVE LOVE IT) and got my Body Bugg! I have been wanting one forever and I found one for half price- WHAT A DEAL! You wear it on your upper arm, and it tells you how many calories you burn in a day...then you have a website where you enter what you eat and it calculates your caloric intake as well...Just for your information, since 12:01 this morning I have burned 1657 calories and consumed 710. There are lots of things I can do with this information, and I AM SO EXCITED!!!!...Did I mention I am excited!!?!?!?!

Happy Birthday Nedra!

Just a quick public shout-out to one of the most fabulous, fantastic, genuine women I know! Nedra- you are a blessing in our lives!!!

Beautiful Baby Kate!

Today I took some pictures of my newest niece- Kate!! (daughter of Kim and Dustin) She is beautiful, but not very cooperative when it comes to pictures! Her parents were troopers, and I learned that baby shots are not as easy and peaceful as they appear to be in good baby photos! Live and learn, right? None-the-less, she was way too cute not to get a few good ones, so here they are-








Ode To Amber

I meant to do this for my sister Amber's birthday, but I am about two weeks late...oh well, all the great things I have to say about her are STILL true, even if they weren't posted on her birthday! Since she just turned 24, here are 24 great things about Amber-

1.She is a DOER!!! She does not procrastinate on anything, and I am amazed at the speed with which she gets things done. This is one of my favorite qualities about Amber, she is amazing!
2. She is gospel-centered on the inside, not just for show
3. She is ALWAYS ALWAYS honest…even in the tiniest little things, it’s a hard thing to do…
4. She is a great mom and rarely loses her temper, even with two little ones, and one on the way
5. She never shirks a duty, or a favor- she’s always there to help
6. Even though she is crazy-busy and almost 8 months pregnant, she is always volunteering to help others, she just looks to others needs before her own.
7. Being the baby of the family, she gets a lot of grief, and takes it is stride!
8. She makes every haircut look good…then I break down and follow her…then I’m sorry because it never looks so good on me!
9. She sees the good in people, even when it seems there is very little good to find!
10. She will claim otherwise, but she has a really cute style
11. She got all the “good” girl genes in the family…Tall, thin, un-blochy skin, nice hands, etc…
12. She let me boss her around…A LOT
13. She is still remembered for her girls camp antics, songs, and bubbly personality
14. She had boys falling all over her in highschool, and still ALL the girls liked her too!
15. She was a state Champion triple Jumper even though she rarely did the track work out, she is just very naturally athletic.
16. She always has fun ideas for things to do with the kids and each other. She never uses the excuse “I’m too tired” or “not today”(again putting others before herself)
17. She is an excellent cook, and tries new and DIFFICULT recipes all the time.
18. She knows how to give someone two black eyes at once…I know…she did it to me!
19. She forgave me for singing her praises for about 10 minutes to the cutest and most eligible “bachelors” in the singles ward, all while I sat on the lap of her future husband (Come on…I didn’t know at the time it WOULD BE her future husband…)
20. She got back at me by asking my fiancé (yes, Dave) to play with her hair every time he came over during our engagement.
21. She has a fantastic memory, especially when it comes to other people’s birthdays, anniversaries, and other special days.
22. SHE IS A GENIUS!!! She’s never met a math problem she didn’t like (or at least couldn’t conquer)
23. Despite being a genius, she is wholly unaffected by the fact that she can’t spell worth a lick!
24. She is the best sister ever. She knows just when to give words of encouragement, and when to encourage you to be better. She never lets me settle for less than my best, but always makes me feel like my best is good enough. I LOVE HER TO DEATH, and can’t imagine life without her!!!
LOVE YOU SIS!!!

"You're right Ashley..."

These are not words I hear TOO often, so I was pretty pleased...until the rest of the conversation ensued...
"...You're right Ashley, your music doesn't speak to me...in fact...I wish it would shut up around me!"

Quite the romantic you are Dave! Happy Valentines Day night!

(for clarification about what this blog means, refer to my previous American Idol blog...)

I've Been Tagged!

10 years ago I ...
1. had left for college leaving a "very serious" boy friend behind
2. Met a new cute boy on the first day there to help me forget about aforementioned "serious boyfriend"
3. Met many friendly boys, that helped me to never think about aforementioned "serious boyfriend" ever again!
4. Dropped a class becuase it was at 8 in the morning, and I just couldn't get up for it.
5. Got a new roommate because my first one was mentally deranged and got kicked out of the dorms. (seriously, she was C-R-A-Z-Y!!!!!)



5 things on my to-do list today:
1. Go to the gym
2. Make porcupine meatballs for v-day dinner (Dave's request)
3. Clean kitchen/dishes
4. Finish the last load of laundry (seriously, when its folded I will be ALL CAUGHT UP!!!!)
5. Try to explain to Dave how much he means to me! !(It's V-DAY!!!!)

5 snacks I enjoy: (I'm trying really hard to eat healthy, so these are snacks I am enjoying currently, not all-time favorites!)
1. Edamame
2. Fresh fruit, especially strawberries or raspberries
3. Splendid Smoothies from Tropical Smoothie Cafe (made with Splenda, and under 200 calories for 24 oz....SO GOOD!!!!)
4. 100 calorie bags of kettle corn
5. Protein bars

5 selfish things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Get a personal Trainer that would kick my trash!
2. Get a personal chef for our family
3. Get a massage twice a week
4. Get a maid that would come for a few hours everyday
5. Have a huge backyard with every fun toy imagineable, so that Jaxon and I (and future kids when they come) could play outside all day in the sunshine and fresh air

3 bad habits I am trying to break:
1. letting laundry pile up
2. Chewing my nails (lets be honest, it's a bad habit, but I'm not even trying to stop...it's just never going to happen!)
3. Gossip
4. leaving hair in the shower
5. Not putting my make-up stuff away


5 places I have lived:
1. Billings Montana
2. Riverside California
3. Gilbert Arizona
4. Provo Utah
5. Auckland New Zealand

5 jobs I have had
1. Concessions at Freestone Park and Gilbert Pools
2. Tele-marketer (kill me now...) for State Farm
3. Teacher in New Zealand
4. Tutor for an Autistic boy
6. Gas Station Attendant for 5 days before I was fired...it's a long story... feel free to ask!



5 things people don't know about me:
1. I am really REALLY grossed out by dirty ears, phobic in fact, and as a result clean my own ears AT LEAST twice a day, but pretty much every time I see a Q-tip, AND I LOVE the way it feels!
2. I am scared to use the bathroom if there is a shower curtain that is pulled closed.
3. I have had 11 black eyes but never been in a fight
4. I used to be a pretty good hurdler even though I am only 5'4
5. I can flex my pecs together, OR individually! ( I really do love that talent!)

Okay, since I was tagged, now I'm tagging the YW ladies- that means Charlotte, Marie, Donnie, and Misti HOP TO IT LADIES!!!

My Wonderful Ashley!

Well, as many of you know, I am not one to discuss my feelings at the drop of a hat. However, as it is Valentine’s Day, I thought I would take this chance to let everyone know how much I love my wife, Ashley. She always claims that she can never be surprised, but I think I have surprised her 10-12 times, and she has failed about 90% of the time when trying to surprise me with something. Oh well, on to the Ashley Tribute!

Ashley is a wonderful leader of our little family, always working as hard as she can to keep us on the straight and narrow. She is a wonderful mother to Jaxon (even on those “rare” occasions when he can be unhelpful). She is an exceptional wife that doesn’t allow me to be anything less than the best husband that I can be (it does take a lot of work for that). Even though I consistently mock her choice of ‘viewing pleasure’ (i.e. American Idol, America’s Next Top Model, etc.) she puts up with my sports viewing and all of my quirky movie tastes (such as sci-fi and fantasy) and even sometimes ends up enjoying them. I am grateful that she always tries to find ways to spend time together; even if it is while she is napping on the couch and I am watching television, at least we are in the same room together. There is no way that I could make it through every day without her love and support. You are the best, Ashley, Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!

P.S. – Don’t expect a gift now!!!

American Idol...IT BEGINS!!!

(scroll to the bottom and pause my blog music so you can hear Josiah's song! It's worth it!!!!)
Yup- I'm not even going to try to hide it, I LOVE AMERICAN IDOL! I think Dave doesn't quite understand my love, because music doesn't speak to him the way it does to me. (Does that sound rediculous/stupid/lame? Oh well...I think its true!)
Anyway, I was seriously so sad when they booted Josiah Lemming, and personally I thought his rendition of Stand By Me was pretty cool, unfortunately he was singing it on 2 hours sleep. DARN IT! I bet you anything that kid is not going anywhere, he's gonna get swooped up right away by a record label, but he sure would have been fun to watch on AI. Here is a video of him from him on youtube, singing a song he wrote, that even with the CRAPPY sound is still so beautiful. Oh yes, and as a side note, there are TWO, thats right, count them TWO LDS people in the top 24!!! We all know about Brooke White, who is obviously a judge favorite, but also, David Archiletto, shocker huh with his 16 year old bright eyed smile! Another Judge Favorite!

The Culbersons

On Saturday I took some photos for some great friends of ours, the Culbersons. They are such a fun family, and it was actually really great to see another willful, stubborn, headstrong 2 year old like Jaxon, even though she wasn't so easy to shoot! Here are some of my favorites!










Those eyes...

Does anyone else remember Jaxon having blue eyes??? What happened? And as for the second picture, I believe a “What happened?” is also in order!?!?!