Sorry..

I hate blogging if i don't have a picture to go along with it.. and my camera is broken. :( I'm not too happy about it either... Have Patience!

The Countdown Begins...

COLLEGE IS SO CLOSE, I CAN SEE IT! I leave for BYU-I (do) on Sept. 5th! I kinda want to fast forward my life to that date. I have been ready and waiting for the moment i can go to college for a year! I now have my associates degree, an apartment, an awesome roommate, and a class schedule... so i am READY! (That's about all i can think about, which is why i started my post off with that.) I CAN'T WAIT! :)

I also just realized that i haven't blogged in a while. I guess i have been really, super busy. Lame excuse, i know.. but its the truth. A lot has happened since my last post, so i guess i will just do a quick recap:

UNCLE DARRELL CAME TO VISIT:

I just LOVE my uncle Darrell. For those of you who don't know him, he is my dad's youngest brother and he is mentally handicapped. For the past couple summers he has come and spent a week with us. He is so fun and happy. His favorite things are: flashlights, swimming (well water in general), bubbles, airplanes, and wind-up toys. One of the nights he was here we had FHE at Howard Amon Park. It was fun to see him!

GRADUATION:

Hard to believe.. maybe.. BUT YES i graduated! I actually graduated both Richland High School and Columbia Basin College (with my associates) Within two weeks of each other. It was GREAT! After 13 long years of school i was finally done, well for a couple months. I only went to one of the ceremonies because for my CBC graduation i was in Florida at Disney World. We went to Olive Garden for dinner then on the the ceremony. Mark, Cindy and Greg Bowden came down from Seattle to see me, which was great. Darrell was still here on his "vacation" so he came too. It was really great! 

DISNEY WORLD:

Those two words say everything! It was AWESOME! we had SO much fun as a family. We went to Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, twice :), and Hollywood Studios. The Humidity in Florida just about killed me. I felt like i couldn't breathe when i got off the plane. BUT, you eventually get used to it, and if i ever lived there, i would NEVER have dry skin again. We walked A LOT and rode a bunch of rides! Lindsay's Boyfriend Travis actually got to come down for the weekend. It was fun to see and hang out with him. I think that was Lindsay's Favorite part. I have WAY to many pictures.. and this post is already HUGE.. so i will just post a few. But the vacation was INCREDIBLE! i loved every minute!

As of  lately, i have been working full time. Its a lot of hours.. but i NEED the money for school. Life has been great! no complaints really. I like my job, and i love my family. Until college, i will keep working hard and earning money. College can't come soon enough... everyone keeps telling me how much fun i am going to have.. but i just can't wait to go out and experience it for myself. I know it is where i am supposed to be and it will be an awesome experience.

A sister is a forever friend. ~ anonymous

Random Thoughts of Me...

Since i am such a random person, here are some of my random thoughts just this morning, and its only 8:00. :)

• I hate that all the other seniors are asleep right now. Because i chose to do running start, CBC lasts a week and a half longer than Richland. I know that in the long run this will benefit me, but right now i really just want to be DONE!
• I need to learn how to put eye liner on correctly. I tried to put it on this morning, and i realized that i have no idea how to do it. any takers to teach me?
• CBC had some very interesting people. I am sitting at a table listening to the people in front of me, haha. Very Entertaining!
• I really want to go buy some French Fries and Chocolate Milk, but is it socially acceptable to buy French Fries and Chocolate Milk at 8:00 in the morning?
• Today is June 7th. It should NOT be cold outside. It should NOT be raining and it should NOT be so gloomy and sad! Where is the Sunshine?
• I hate when you spend money on getting your nails done, and they chip the day after or a couple days after. i feel like my fingers look trashy. i feel like people are staring at my fingers because they look so terrible. 
• I Wish June 15th would come when i snap my fingers then i can be done with school and it would be summer time! 
• I am so thankful for the gospel in my life. i honestly don't know where i would be without it. I think i am truly happy today because i go to church and try my best to follow Christ. 
• I love my family. We  have arguments, but we always make up, because we love each other.
• I am a little sad i didn't get to watch the Celtics play last night! it would have been such a great game! Ray Allen with a new Record on 3 pointers. Dang. I am for sure watching on Tuesday night!

Well, those are probably enough random thoughts for the day. :)

Bike Riding...

Sometimes I do random things and buy random things. Not very often. But when I do buy things... a lot of times its pretty random. So just recently i bought a new bike. My dad and i went to Wally-World and we were looking at all the bikes and we saw a few. some of them are pretty expensive, even at Walmart. So we were trying to look for cheap but pretty good quality and we finally found some. However, the "adult" bikes were too tall for me. So lucky for me, the "girl" bikes were just the right size and cheaper too. :) here she is...

She is pretty good looking huh? i decided i should take advantage of my new way of transportation.. so i have used her a few times, but not consistently. Today however, i took her out for a ride. We went about 10 miles from Richland to Pasco and back. I crossed over the Columbia River and i stopped on the bridge and took a few pictures.. 

 
 Beautiful isn't it? Great bike ride.. my booty is a little sore though... but it was worth it. :)

Procrastination...

One of my worst personality traits is my inability to focus. Throughout my years in middle school, high school, and CBC i have never really been able to make myself sit down and do homework, or sit down and study for a test. this is not one of my best traits, but it is what it is. On the other hand, one of my BEST traits is procrastination. This has been a skill and talent that because of my lack of ability to focus, i have perfected. and i am actually quite proud of it. I am however, working on the skill of making my self focus and get things done. But until then, i have come up with a list of my top 5 things that i do when i don't want to do homework. Hopefully you will look at this and think, "that's stupid, i should go do homework.".. but if not.. try some of these things out.. :)

1. Facebook: I am addicted to facebook. so its something i do even when i am not procrastinating. But when i am procrastinating it gets much worse. When i have homework to accomplish i could be on facebook for hours! Unhealthy i know. What do i look at for that long? well.. a bunch of random stuff... looks at friends pictures, friends of  friends pictures, peoples wedding pictures (my favorite thing to look at.. :), updated profiles, read people walls, seriously.. i am a certified facebook stalker. hopefully you guys aren't reading this.. thinking i am a freak.. because i am pretty sure you do this too. :)

2. Eat: What a terrible thing food is. i don't know how, or when it started but i have an excuse to eat at just about any time of the day. I eat when i am bored. I eat when i am upset. I eat when i get home from school. i eat during commercial breaks while watching Dr. Phil. There are many times a day i eat. This one is probably the worst of all because it is literally unhealthy. Food is good! as long as i work it off... i should be able to eat as much as i want. Usually people take a break from studying to get a snack because they need some fuel. i however think that this has the opposite effect on me... i think i do better without getting snacks... because once i get up and get a snack... there is no chance of getting my focus back. so if i can resist the temptation to eat while studying i actually do a little better... 

3. Watch TV: I don't even know what i watch. A wide variety actually... i will watch just about anything to get out of doing homework. Movies or TV.. doesn't matter. even if i have seen a movie 20 times... doesn't matter. i will probably watch it as though i have never seen it before. haha. Disney movies are my favorite. I love watching and singing along. Mulan is probably my all time favorite. :) "The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." -- Mulan

4. Clean: This is actually the only time i like to clean. This is probably a benefit of procrastinating because... i can get my laundry done, my room clean, and my bathroom clean. i can even get my laundry folded and put away. It's great! :) Sometimes, if my procrastination episode is really bad.. i will even start organizing. Not very often... it has to be pretty bad... but it happens. 

5. Workout: This one can be my favorite one or my least favorite one depending on the day. But if we are speaking literal, it is probably the most healthy. Usually this is how it happens:

Mom: Hey Ashley, you going to the gym today?

Me: I don't think so... i have a lot of homework...

     TWO HOURS LATER

Me (thinking to myself): Whoa, its already been two hours and i haven't got any homework done? hmm... i should probably start that... 

     ANOTHER TWO HOURS LATER

Me (thinking to myself): Well i still haven't gotten any homework done.... but.... I'll start it later cause i am off to the gym.

Then i will probably be at the gym for an hour or so... then come home... but still won't start it... haha. 

I Honestly think i work better under pressure. Yes i know this is a bad habit. but unfortunately, i think it is too late to break this habit. when i get up to BYU-I.. i will probably need to really buckle down... but i have a whole summer to contemplate how i will keep myself from procrastinating... after all.. why start now? i have a whole summer... :)

Another Little Thought For Another Little Sunday...

Slightest actions often
Meet the sorest needs,
For the world wants daily
Little kindly deeds;
Oh, what care and sorrow
You may help remove,
With your songs and courage,
Sympathy and love.

Scatter sunshine all along your way;
Cheer and bless and brighten
Every passing day;
Scatter sunshine all along your way;
Cheer and bless and brighten
Every passing day.

--  Lanta Wilson Smith

Just a little thought for Sunday...

Have I done any good in the world today?

Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad,
and made someone feel glad?
If not I have failed indeed.

Has anyone's burden been lighter today
because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary
been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?

Then wake up and do something more
than dream of your mansion above.
Doing good is a pleasure,
a joy beyond measure,
a blessing of duty and love.

 -- Will L. Thompson

President Thomas S. Monson said, “My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.”

My challenge for myself this week is to do just this. Look for people who need encouragement. Look for people who need support. some might need a hug, or maybe just a smile. Whatever they might need, i hope i can help them over come their struggle, or make their burden just a little bit lighter. I know it will not only help them, but me as well...

I am now officially an adult.. :)

About a month and a half ago i celebrated my 18 birthday! Since a lot of my friends are up at college i didn't really have a big birthday party. Which i was ok with. However, i did go to dinner with my family and Garth. Then we came home and had an ice cream cake, which was incredible! My mother also decorated my car... kind of embarrassing... but it was really fun. i actually had it on there for a few days because i was too lazy to clean it off..

Then, about a week or so later.. the real party began. :) i headed up to Idaho to spend a week with my sister Lindsay.. and my bestie Mandy Kilburn!

i really had such a great time. aside from sleeping on the floor.. everything else was so much fun! I felt like if i had my own bed.. i didn't want to leave. i felt like i should be a student there already. While i was there, i met some awesome people! Lindsay's roommates are so much fun! i also met Lindsay's boyfriend Travis... he is so funny and so sweet to her.

 

 Hanging out with Mandy was awesome! we went out to eat, we went to the movie theater to see the last song, and we went on a tour of my future school.. and i got a free t-shirt too! i couldn't have asked for a better birthday! Another fun thing i did was hang out with my cousin Kim! she is the best. not only did she chop my hair off and make it look super cute, but she came with me to Craigos and introduced me to something simply incredible! i am almost positive that when i get up to Rexburg for good.. i will be addicted to Craigos. In Idaho, the weather is A LOT different than in good ol' Richland. It wasn't too bad...except for a few days it was snowing... but nothing would really stick. Then of course... on the day i was supposed to go home... we looked out the window and saw the inches and inches on the ground.

it was totally gross and i was glad to get out of that weather. It was back to Blue skies and 60 degrees. :)) I kept telling myself.. i can't believe i am going to be living there pretty soon... but i know it will totally be worth it. :)

Family.. Isn't it about time?

I LOVE MY FAMILY! So if you guys are going to be "following" my blog, you should probably know a little bit about me and my family.

This is us! Well, this was us a year and i half ago...

 Cameron and Curtis are on Missions for our church. Cameron is serving in Virginia right now, and Curtis is serving in Georgia. They both love their missions: they love what they are doing. We miss them a lot! 5 1/2 months will pass sooner than you know.. and then they will be home. or that's what people tell me. So we will see...

Lindsay is the one in the White Shirt and straight hair. She is the best older sister anyone could ask for. Right now she is up in Rexburg, ID, attending BYU-I. Her major is Early Childhood Education, and i believe she only has two semesters left before she graduates. Life is treating her SUPER well, and she is having the time of her life up there..

Me, I am the only person with blond hair in my family.. so i am pretty easy to spot. I am a senior this year! Woot Woot! :) I'm SO excited to graduate very soon! My plan is to work my little tush off this summer so i can get lots of mula.. then, i am headed up to BYU-I to go to school come September. I have finally decided on a major and i am really excited for it! i will be majoring in psychology, then hopefully i will go on to go through a Clinical Psychology graduate program emphasizing in family therapy. I want to work with children going through divorce or coming from abusive families.. something along those lines. YAY! :)

Savannah is the gorgeous one standing next to me. In that picture she is a little taller than me. Now, she is A LOT taller than me. probably around 3 inches or so.. its insane. she will definitely be the tallest girl in the family. besides wearing my clothes all the time, savannah's other hobbies are sports! she is a very active 13 year old. at the moment she is in track.. and i have yet made it to one of her track meets, but i hear she is BOMB! so hopefully i can go see her soon!

Jacob is the baby of the family. He loves to play baseball and he is pretty dang good at it. Jake is good at a lot of things, including making new friends. I swear, every week i will meet another one of Jakes friends. You know how sometimes we have school friends that we are really good friends with but only at school... well jake doesn't have those. if he meets a new friend at school, they quickly become not only his school friend, but his home friends too. A characteristic i am still trying to master.. but what an example my nine year old brother sets for me...

As for my parents, they are incredible! I couldn't have asked for better parents! six kids, four of which are grown up and out of the house (almost) and all active in church... what an achievement. They are my biggest example and i look to them everyday! someday i hope to be half as good as they are with my own family. 

Well, that's us in a nutshell. I love my family. i wouldn't change any one of them for anything in the world. So thankful that we will be together FOREVER! 

 

Life..

Well this is my first blog... so i'm not even quite sure how to do everything yet... but we are going to try this...

I am in my last quarter of CBC, and taking 20 credits! so school can be a bit overwhelming at times... but i just keep telling myself that the end will eventually come. This June i will be Graduating Richland High School and CBC with my associates degree.. it rocks! but until then.. it will probably be a bumpy road. here are some of my senior pictures...

Graduation does not seem too far away and i hope that the time passes quickly. I am ready to start the new phase in my life where i am a real college student living on my own. I'm very excited for my new life to start.