Shoe Fetish

I'm addicted to shoes...I'm admiting it. And you know what, I'd be willing to bet that 95% of you women out there are also addicted. However, my fetish has gotten a little out of control, I'll be the first to say it. They are taking over my house people! Anyway, I've been having dreams of organizing and labeling and getting myself put back together now that Christmas is over, and I've been dreaming of cleaning out my shoes...ick! What a daunting task! BUT...(drum roll please...) I did it. I went through the closet today, and WOOH! I feel so much better. I threw away 4 pairs of shoes, and got rid of over 20 more pairs. Welcome back closet space! Now I can't wait to start shopping so I can add some more new shoes to a nice new home! hehe

(I can hear you laughing as I'm typing mom...and I know you must be proud Aunt Andy!)
Also, If any of you out there are in need of some good shoes, I am getting rid of some really nice ones. If your a size 7-8 and want to take a look, let me know. They aren't all old and worn out, I just had to de-clutter some-how. There are a few Dr. Martens, some cute sequenced flip-flops, some tall fur lined boots in tan or brown, and even some great sunday shoes. I'm taking them to D.I. asap if I don't hear any takers.

P.S. Does any one else love this show and secretly wish this were THEIR closet?!

A girl can dream right?

Too Funny!

Remember this:



According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to Mid-December. Female Reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.



Therefore, according to every historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.



We should have known only a woman would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost!






Merry Christmas to everyone!

Random writings

I need to talk. I don't know about what, but I need somewhere to write. It's not that I've had a bad day, just feeling like letting some pent-up thoughts out. It's Sunday. The girls weren't too bad at church today (unlike some sundays can be) and I got a new calling. I'm super nervous about it actually, because it's the one calling I've never wanted, because I don't see myself fit for it. Hopefully I can rely on the spirit to help me through. I won't be sustained till next week, but I'll let you know how things go for me.

In Sunday school today we had a great lesson on forgiveness and love and charity etc. I really liked how they talked about making our own lives and homes a personal Zion. I've been really working hard at that lately by trying desperately to reach out to others, unite relationships, keep a positive outlook, not be quick to judge or take offense, and in a sense just allowing myself a really long leash of tolerance. They talked about that today too. Yet somehow, when your working your hardest, doesn't it seem like something always comes along to throw a rock in your path?! Why is that? And why does it always come at the most in-opportune times? I guess keeping your chin up and pressing forward is always the perspective you must maintain.

I'm getting very excited about Christmas! I can't wait to give some pretty special gifts to some pretty special people in my life. We also are doing some pretty fun things too. Tomorrow we are going to do some Christmasy stuff with Adi's bestie and cousin Nadia. Also next Sunday we're going to SLC to stay with Caleb's sister and go see the lights. And I really really love the spirit of Christ that accompany's the season. Charity and love abound so much, that you can really see why we should make Christmas a part of our lives year round. I have this quote displayed in my home that I've been pondering a lot today, it's:

"The magic of Christmas never ends because it's greatest gift is family and friends."

Sometimes I think we fail to see that, but it's so true!

This is probably the most random post ever...I'm sorry. The girls are napping, I'm emotional, and sometimes blogging is a little therapuetic right? It's not just me right?

Let's end this with pictures. Anybody want to see some pictures...of course you do! Enjoy!

P.S. My husbands cousin, and my good blogging friend Rhonda has this saying where she calls herself the Mamarazzi because of the insane amount of pictures she takes, and I'm convinced I have this disease too, so word to the wise...consider yourself warned once again on the picture overload!

Trying to get Emi to smile for pictures, and she only wanted to cry. This was this morning before church looking so cute in her Christmas Dress. A lady at church told me my girls are alwyas the best dressed kids in the ward. AWWW!

I had to chase her to the bathroom to get her smiling:)

Adi loves her picture taken, hers was not hard!

Another one of my famous shots that Adi took of me. She told me to put my picture on my "computer, you know where you put the pictures of me". hehe I must really love her to oblige with something so ridiculous!

I bought some material to do these cute stockings with, and since my machine is broken my Mom did them for me. I LOVE THEM! Adi does too, and had to take a pic of her Gingerbread girl.

Reading Christmas stories one night.

Emi really likes to color like sister. (don't mind the mess!)

Emersyn making a huge mess with some cereal. What? I'm hungry!

Emi loves to brush her teeth. She is always doing it!

Adi had another dance recital. She was PERFECTLY adorable again!

Adelynn visiting Santa at the Mall.

Emersyn pretty sure she didn't want anything to do with Santa, except maybe that candy cane...hmmm, maybe Mom could get it for me.

This is a picture of the day we made cinnamon cut-outs. Such a great day.

This is also that same day when we got into the bubble fight. this was before it exploded, and I could still manage them and take a picture! :)

We got this little train to put around the tree. The kids love it.

Here is the kids doing a beeny bag dance at preschool at Roselle's house.

And aren't they so good sitting quietly and listening to the story?!

Thanksgiving weekend Grandpa was one lucky guy, he got to snuggle with 3 of his grand-daughters! How cute!

I thought this was such a funny follow up pic to the last one...gotta say cheese! I have my kids trained so well. On a side not, Adi LOVED her cousin's Maylyn and Tessa. We can't wait to see them again for Christmas, and the Temple lights.

Also at grandma's, and also trained well!

I love my family so much. And if I don't say it enough, I'll say it again. I love my family SO much!

Calling all friends...

Okay all of my high school friends, it's rapidly approaching that time where we will all be back home for the holidays. Over the last few months we've talked and left several messages through cyberspace about getting together this Christmas season. So I thought maybe we should start to plan something. So, leave me a comment on what you think we should do, when we should do it etc. Or e-mail me at calebashleywall@gmail.com, and give me your phone number in case I don't have it, and I will call you when we have a better idea. Nobody excluded, it's always so fun to see EVERYONE! Does that work? Am I being obnxious? I hope not, I'm just so excited to see you all. Maybe we could just do dinner, or we could all get together at my house again, or we could have a New Years party, or maybe put bags on our heads....hahahahah! I don't know why that memory just popped into my head?! GOOD TIMES! Can't wait to see ALL OF YOU!
Luvs to you all,
Ashley

'Tis the Season

I love this time of the year. There is such a contagious spirit of love and laughter and giving and family. We set up our decorations the day after Thanksgiving, and have had the wonderful aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, pomegranate, pine, orange, and other fabulous spices lacing together to create an even cozier atmosphere. The house looks beautiful, and our family is aboundingly giddy with Christmas Spirit. I want to write down my day on Tuesday in hopes of preserving a most fabulous day that, in my mind, was the perfect December day, and I never want to forget it. (I did take some pictures, but I feel as though they do no justice to the memory of the moment, so I am choosing to just write this post. Sorry to those of you who hate written posts with no pictures...I know it's boring, and I am in now way a story teller, but bare with me here...)
Adi got to spend some time with her Aunt Gayle that morning while I caught up on some bookkeeping. She colored and decorated ornaments, and was really pleased with the outcome, and thrilled to have spent some time with one of her most beloved friends. We decided to stick with the ornament theme and later made cinnamon cut-out ornaments. We all got garbed out in our Aprons and mushed and rolled applesauce and cinnamon together until it was ready, and then we rolled some more, all the while basking in the amazing scent that it provided to my home. The girls had a wonderful time cutting them out with Christmas shaped cookie cutters, and then poking the hole for the ribbon to go through with the straw. The snow was softly falling outside, and Christmas music played quietly(and sometimes loudly) in the background, while we merrily sang along. When we finally finished the huge batch we had made, we cleaned up. Gayle had to go home, so we said good-bye to her and then the girls wanted to help wash dishes. Feeling completely overwhelmed with pure happiness surging through me, I let them! We made lots of bubbles and soon it turned into a very fun bubbley event. We smashed it on each others heads, and tickled it on to each others noses, and attempted to launch it through the air at each other. The deep belly laughter and high pitched squeals of excitement were almost more than I could bare...in such a good way! I felt that if my day were to get any better, I might possibly burst.
After cleaning the kitchen Emersyn, exhausted from the day, lay down for a second nap. Being the Angel she always is, she was happy to go down. Having some down time with Adelynn I siezed it to spend a little Mommy/Daughter time together, and of course crafting something is always fun for us. So we decided to make a christmas countdown chain, you know, the kind you did when you were younger too?We had a ball together, and she excitedly tears one(or two) off every morning!
When daddy came home that night the girls were very excited to show him their accomplishments, and he of course lathered them in compliments. After dinner we bathed the girls (which is always a blast for them anyway) and then turned off all the lights in the house except the Christmas ones, and we lit the candles. More playing and giggling insued, and then we read wonderful stories together of Elves and Santa and Reindeer too. We admired pictures of beautifully decorated trees, and snow covered forrests.
The girls went to sleep without a peep, and I tell you, I felt as if I could float away on a cloud that night from being too puffed up with love for my family, and for this special Holiday.